“With the majority of operators on board, the plan is to
finalize the technical architecture that will be used in the development of an
end-to-end remote SIM solution for consumer devices,
with delivery anticipated for 2016,”
GSMA spokesperson
commenting on the GSMA plan to introduce e-SIM to GSM Telecom Providers
The Telecoms world is abuzz with a new idea that, surprising
is really a rehash of an old but very good idea. In fact, I was taught this at
C&W Old Training School when I
worked there from 2001 to 2004.
I'm of course referring to the idea from the GSMA (Global
Systems Mobile Association) of programmable SIM (Subscriber Identification
Modules), called e-SIM as reported in the article “Embedded
SIM Cards will let you switch carriers on the fly and carriers are supporting
it in droves”, published July 16, 2015 by Williams Pelegrin, Digitaltrends.
The idea is that instead of subscribers to a Telecom Network
having to swap out SIM Cards in their smartphones, they could instead be
reprogrammed by the Telecom Provider. A customer who wants to switch carriers
would then have to come to the Telecom Provider or do it in discomfort of their
own home.
The e-SIM could allow customers to change their Network via
a text message to their Telecom Provider, instead of unlocking their smartphone
and then purchasing a new SIM Card.
This is similar to the idea I'd suggested with regards to
the Netherlands and their use of Carrier unlocked SIM Cards as detailed in my blog article
entitled “The
Netherlands makes Carrier Unlocked SIM Cards Legal - Apple's Idea revived
heralding M2M and the Internet of Things, a financial Boon to Telecom Providers”.
The beautiful advantage of this is that it would make life a
lot more convenient for the customer, would no longer have to fiddle with a SIM
Card to switch Networks. But this so far looks like a customer-only benefit,
which isn't typical of the GSMA, the trade body representing Telecom Providers
globally who use the GSM standard!
Why are they so happy about it? Well, they'll benefit and so
too will Telecom Equiptment Providers.
GSMA's e-SIM Card
- Slimmer smartphones to choose your Network of Choice
Telecom Equiptment providers would benefit hugely, as they'd
no longer have to make carrier-specific versions of each model of cellphone.
They could just make one with an e-SIM that would be able to work with any GSM
Carrier, such as those listed below:
1. AT&T
2. Deutsche
Telekom owners of T-Mobile
3. Etisalat
4. Hutchison
Whampoa owners of Three
5. Orange
6. Telefónica
owners of O2
7. Vodafone
Also the Telecom Equiptment providers could make even
thinner Smartphone and Tablets, as the SIM slot would no longer be needed.
Apple had pioneered the nano-SIM in the Apple iPhone 5 back
in 2012 for this very purpose as explained in my Geezam blog article entitled “How
to make you own Micro-SIM or Nano-SIM Card”.
Thus e-SIM would not only eliminate the SIM Card slot, but
make it possible to cram more sensors in the space normally reserved for this
archaic relic.
It would also make it easier to get customers on a Data Plan
for their Tablets with any Telecom Provider they choose from the comfort of
their own home. Tablets are a product that they don't purchase with each
product refresh, being as it’s more computer than smartphone!
Thus a programmable e-SIM would actually help sagging Tablet
sales in a plan very similar to the Apple SIM that Apple introduced for some
Apple iPad Air 2 and the Apple iPad Mini 3 in 2014 as reported in my blog article
entitled “Apple
SIM in the Apple iPad Air 2 - How iOS 8.0 Carrier Unlocked SIM sells Apple iPads
in Year of the Sheep 2015”.
Samsung and Apple
– Eliminating the SIM would bring customer in
So upon reading this, you know Samsung is also interested!
Even their latest smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6
Edge, features a nano-SIM as noted in my Geezam
blog article entitled “Samsung
Galaxy S6 and Edge at MWC 2015 coming to Mash up Jamaica”.
They too, wouldn't mind eliminating the SIM card altogether.
This GSMA idea is thus attractive not only to Apple and
Samsung, but potentially every smartphone maker seeking to cram more features
into their smartphones. All in a bid to compel customers to buy or upgrade to a
new smartphone.
This is especially important as the smartphone market is
slowing down as reported in the article “Smartphones
aren't selling like they used to (it's an Android thing)”, published July
7, 2015 by Nigel Manuel, CNET News, as there is nothing compelling or
new about Smartphone to make customer purchase them.
Ditto too tablets, which have been in a freefall since the Fourth
Quarter of 2014.
Making Tablets with keyboard cases and Carrier-unlocked SIM
are potential saviors as suggested in my blog article
entitled “IDC
Stats suggest Tablet Freefall in 2015 – How to sell Tablets using built-in
Keyboards and Carrier Unlocked SIM Cards” and e-SIM, which is the same
thing, presents itself as one possible solution to their demise at the hands of
cheaper “White Label” Chinese Tablets!
Telecom Providers
Rejoice - e-SIM marks birth of World Phone and Death of unlocked-smartphones
The big advantage, however, would rest with the Telecom
Provider, as e-SIMs, potentially, are both bringers of life and death.
With e-SIM's they'd have more control over the portability
process. In other words, they could dictate who could switch from which Network,
based on customer history on their Telecom Network, as opposed to Prepaid or pay-as-you-go customer’s
switching Networks as they had a mind.
Currently, customers can demand to purchase a smartphone
unlocked as noted in my blog article entitled “US
Carriers must Carrier Unlock smartphones as of Wednesday February 11th 2015 –
How Americans can get their smartphones Carrier unlocked”.
In the future, unlocked Smartphone and Tablet users would
have to purchase a Data Plan, as they'd have an e-SIM built in.
By making every SIM an e-SIM, they'd potentially be able to
regain control over unlocked phones. When these e-SIM are phased in, it would
be difficult to buy a smartphone or any feature phone without having to sign
some contract.
Potentially too, these e-SIM could be programmable to work
on CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) Carriers and Telecom Providers once the
GSMA and CDMA Trade groups get to talkin'.
This would mean once you’ve purchased an unlocked quad-band
smartphone, it would have a built in CDMA chip as well as an e-SIM chip. This
is a World Phone, something I've dreamed about since my days working at C&W (2001 to
2004) and then later at CLARO Jamaica (2008 to 2009).
The customer could potentially travel to any country in the
world and use their Smartphone on ANY Network, be it a GSM or a CDMA. Right now
at this preliminary stage and it's apparent that the GSMA's e-SIM would mostly
give control back to the Telecom Providers. However, we may also be genesis
birth of the World Phone!
No date as to when this will come to pass. But it if does, a
lot of smartphone, feature phones and cellphones would start popping up with
the e-SIM logo (just guessing here!) to indicate the coming paradigm shift!
As of this moment people, anything is possible!
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